Pakistan strike fourth casualty against guests in home Test

RAWALPINDI: Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne on Wednesday won the toss and decided to bat in the first Test in Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The hosts took to the field with four fast bowlers in their playing XI with Abid Ali and Usman Shinwari making their Test debuts. Imam-ul-Haq and Yasir Shah miss out of the playing XI.

Sri Lanka open with Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando, while Lahiru Thirimanne drops out. Dilruwan Peree, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara making up Sri Lanka's bowling attack.

The matches are part of the World Test Championship in which Pakistan are yet to get off the mark after facing a two innings defeats in Australia. Sri Lanka stand at the fourth spot with 60 points from two matches.

Sri Lanka are coached by Mickey Arthur, who led Pakistan for three years before taking up his role with Sri Lanka last week.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Usman Khan Shinwari, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wicket-keeper), Dilruwan Perera, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara